By Georgette McGlashen-Miller, Research Officer, ACIJ/JMB
INTRODUCTION
Every year on March 30, the world observes the International Day of Zero Waste, an initiative by the United Nations to promote responsible consumption and waste reduction.One of the largest contributors to global waste today is the fashion industry, particularly fast fashion, which encourages overconsumption and mass disposal of clothing. This culture of consuming and disposing of clothing in record times has become hazardous to both our lives and our earth.
In a 2019 article written by Wilson-Harris, Lauren Creary, manager of “Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica” shared that “volunteers collected 5,700 articles of clothing, and that includes shoes and different types of clothing from Jamaica’s coastline,” (“Fast Fashion a Growing Threat,” Jamaica Gleaner, December 1, 2019). The number of clothing items had increased from 1,450 collected the year prior. Unfortunately, the data card used to capture the items cleaned up does not have a box for clothing. As such, it was the
volunteer’s initiative to record other unlisted items.
As recently as February 25, 2025, The Guardian published an article by Miah Redmond titled “Ghana Pays for the West’s Wastefulness,” lamenting a fire at the Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana. The article describes how piles of discarded clothing, referred to as “dead white persons’ clothes,” accumulated in the market, which was left in ashes. The market is now uncertain about continuing to accept discarded clothing from wealthier nations, as it has contributed to overwhelming heaps of waste.
For countries like Jamaica and many African nations, the impact of fast fashion on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is multipronged, affecting cultural heritage, economic sustainability, environmental health, and social ethics. The mass-production of generic styles reduces demand for handcrafted, culturally significant garments, resulting in traditional textiles becoming obsolete. Mass-production can also leads to cultural appropriation, where brands exploit traditional designs without proper credit or compensation. Its focus on disposable trends also shifts consumer preferences away from high quality, culturally rich garments. Concerning the environment, fast fashion generates excessive textile waste and pollution, which threatens traditional industries that rely on natural materials. Further, fast fashion’s heavy reliance on sweatshops undermines ethical labor practices.
In this article, we explore how fast fashion brands, for example, Shein, Fashion Nova, and H&M have reshaped consumer culture since the 2000s resulting in overconsumption, waste, and pollution. We will also discuss/propose solutions in keeping with the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank (ACIJ/JMB) mandate of preserving cultural heritage. Although there is no one solution to this multifaceted issue; it is important to have this discussion – to aware both the consumer and producer of their roles and responsibilities, as well as the impact of their actions regarding fast fashion.
FASHION CONSUMPTION IN JAMAICA AND AFRICA BEFORE FAST FASHION
Before commercialized fashion, clothing in Jamaica and Africa was custom-made. People relied on local tailors and dressmakers for personalized, durable garments. Clothing at that time reflected style, rather than fashion. The way one styled the body served as a form of identity, denoting status, traditional knowledge, and philosophical worldviews. Commercialized fashion on the other hand is usually the popular trend that is short lived. Still, another way to dress the body includes the idea of uniforms, where a particular dress identifies with particular groups. For example, among religious groups of Revivalist, or literally among school and work uniforms.
Between 1950s and 1980s in Jamaica, handmade clothing, dresses and suits were common, with dressmakers and tailors; even homemakers creating clothing for daily wear and special occasions. Sewing skills were a necessary part of everyday life. Similarly, in Africa, weaving and tailoring were highly respected crafts. We are familiar with African fabrics such as Kente from Ghana, and Adire from Nigeria, which hold deep cultural meanings in Africa, bearing symbols and sending coded messages. Unfortunately, Jamaica’s Taino heritage of cotton weaving did not survive post colonization, leading to Jamaica’s dependence on the importation of fabrics and textiles. This is unfortunate because Jamaica has always been a producer of cotton from pre- colonial times. However, after the abolition of slavery in 1838, cotton production significantly diminished because it was no longer profitable to plantation owners.
Consequently, Jamaican now imports fabrics and textiles from Thailand, USA, and China. In 2023, Jamaica imported textile fabrics impregnated with plastics totaling approximately $1.195 million, with Thailand, China, and the United States being the leading suppliers. (World Bank, World Integrated Trade Solution). Fabrics and textiles impregnated with plastic, for example, polyester blends, PVC-coated fabrics, and water- resistant textiles are extremely harmful to our environmental. When washed, synthetic textiles shed micro plastic into our waterways. Micro plastic is not biodegradable and is harmful to our marine life contributing to long-term pollution of our oceans and soils. Further, plastic-infused fabrics take hundreds of years to break down. When these materials arrive into landfills like Riverton City Landfill in Jamaica where many are burned, they release toxic chemicals that are a health risk causing hormone disruptions and respiratory issues in many residents.
Although African communities are in a better position than Jamaica in that they weave, dye and export fabrics and textile, they too have been victims of fast fashion receiving a bulk of dumped clothing in their landfills and coastline. The environmental crisis caused by fast fashion waste has become a significant issue in African countries such as Ghana and Kenya, where vast amounts of discarded clothing from Western nations accumulate in landfills, waterways, and coastlines. Kokutse in a 2024 article shared, that in Ghana, Accra’s Kantamanto Market, one of the world’s largest secondhand clothing markets, receives approximately 15 million used garments weekly. Approximately 40% of these imports are unsellable due to poor quality of material (Associated Press, “Ghana’s Fashion Waste Problem”). As a result, much of this textile waste ends up polluting the Korle Lagoon, which has been labeled one of the most contaminated water bodies in the world (Wohlgetmuth, 2022). Similarly, in Kenya, Nairobi’s Gikomba Market faces a comparable challenge, with vendors finding that nearly “half of the imported clothing is
too damaged or low-quality to be sold”, leading to mass disposal along riverbanks and urban dumpsites (Wohlgetmuth, 2022). This growing volume of textile waste exacerbates waste management issues in these countries, which lack the infrastructure to handle such high volumes of discarded clothing.
The uncontrolled influx of low-quality clothing into Jamaica and Africa highlights the unsustainable nature of the fast fashion industry and the urgent need for global “waste reduction strategies” and “sustainable textile practices” to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of this crisis. Suggestions of thrift, repair, and repurposing are being made to prevent waste and pollution. Social behavior campaigns aimed at shifting culture perspectives of fashion, identity and ethics are encouraged.
Before the advent of fast fashion, clothing was not disposable but valued for its longevity and versatility. Clothes were often passed down (known as hand-me-down) through generations, and many times repurposed into household items, such as floor mats. Other times they were redesigned into new outfits to extend their usefulness. Alterations were common, ensuring that clothes remained in circulation for as long as possible. In Jamaica. Thrifts store for example Salvation Army were popular. This approach encouraged sustainable consumption habits, minimized waste, and emphasized quality over quantity.
Supporting zero waste fashion is a one way to reduce environmental impact while promoting sustainability of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). One effective approach is to shop local by supporting Jamaican and African designers, dressmakers and tailors, who prioritize ethical practices, by using sustainable materials, and who incorporate traditional cultural elements into their designs, helping to preserve local heritage. Another way is to upcycle and repurpose old clothes, to give them a new life rather than discarding them. Some examples include turning old jeans into bags or t-shirts into scarves, which also preserves the artisanship and creativity rooted in cultural traditions. Additionally, we have the choice to buy less and choose better quality, durable pieces, rather than fast fashion that needs frequent replacement. Lastly, one can raise awareness by advocating for sustainable fashion policies to make a significant difference. By sharing information among family and friends, attending events, and speaking out about the importance of eco-friendly practices, we can encourage businesses and governments to support sustainable fashion that honors and preserves cultural heritage.
References
Kokutse, Francis. “As fast fashion’s waste pollutes Africa’s environment, designers in
Ghana are finding a solution.” Associated Press News, 2024.
(https://apnews.com/article/0809f25605722a53658bf21d7d9b1548?utm)
The Guardian. (2025). “Ghana pays for the west’s wastefulness.”
(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/25/ghana-pays-for-the-wests-
wastefulness?utm)
Thomas, D. (2019). Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes.
Penguin Random House.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Fast Fashion & Sustainability
https://www.unep.org
Wilson-Harris, Nadine. “Fast Fashion a Growing Threat.” December 1, 2019.
(https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20191201/fast-fashion-growing-threat). The
Jamaica Gleaner, 2019
Wohlgetmuth, Viola. “How Fast Fashion Is Using the Global South as a Dumping
Ground for Textile Waste.” Greenpeace International, 2022.
(https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/53333/how-fast-fashion-is-using-global-
south-as-dumping-ground-for-textile-waste/?utm).
World Bank. World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS). “Jamaica Imports, 2023.”
Accessed 2023.
(https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/JAM/year/2023/tradeflow/Imports
/partner/ALL/product/590390?utm).